Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1887-07-07
FOURTH OF lilly OnaripN.
Delivered il trwiss"wn. by Haiiossrii
.. Clement. of Fiat Willow.

my country. must cUutfr- M al mummy
To- - strong feeling Of cowur,lire IN thus ad-
dressing you. But ~ il has been said " He
who does hi best dOc- well. | earnestly
hcspeak your most lcnient Judgment Of my
Shortcomings. | assure ypu that IL j. n
great pleasure to uIc To be with you to-day
aud take "A part, however poorly per
formed la this-l.. yirtowu- celebration
81 line glorious Fourth--cur national natal
day. that da - dear - the heart Of every
American citizen. whether he claims Amer
lea ar the land 81 bis birth or the land of
his adoption.
We have assembled herr, IN this beaut iiul
valley. whcrc Mature has so lavishIy given
ol her vast stores. to commencement. the H.
lustrious DECIDE al the heroes Of 1876, and
to show our deep appreciation Of the heri-
fagr 80 valianilv earned aud vouchsiif fed I o
~ 10y them for all time. We come ia pledge
anew our loyalty TO oIr country and it's in
situations. aud To- express the patriotic en-
thusiasm which every true American must
ieri on the recurrence oi the anniversary 81
our Nations birth. Ca this occasion il
/ may not be inappropriate If We review Tor
a moment some Of the causes which pro-
duced sach disaifrction between the colo-
nists and the mother country. 1t us
turh back little more than two centuries
ago and W. behold a few brave Adventures
struggling amid the hard-hips aud priva-
+ tinna incident to the settlement of all new
countries. Driven by oppression from
their native land, they Ind come to the
new world fully imbucd with love "f lib
erty seeking "a home whore they might wnr-
ship God according to the dictates of their
own eonseience-.
From the landing Of the Pilgrims down
to the breaking out of the Revolution. the
colonists had surnountcd difficulties and
accomplished possibilities which less deter
mined and brave men would never have
had the courage to attempt. Wars had
been successfully carried on. treaties of
peace and auity made and respected
Those brave men, looking iuto the future,
eumprehcnded the possible glory that
might be attained by new nation.
~ the time that Great Britain entered
upon her system of measures which caused
the colonisis 10 resist her government. and
finally ia achieve their independence. they
had grown from "A mere handful oi brave
and determined men Ia nearly three mil
lion al souls, many of whom were Ameri-
eau by Dirt h and had imbibcd the spirit of
liberty with the very air they breathcd.
The boundlcss resources al wealth in the
new country were fast yielding their stores
to the magic wand Of honest labor and in
everything, excepting. perhaps the coming
struggle Tor "a new national existence. the
bright star al hope was in the ascendant.
When the government Of any country is
81 Nfliiliiritifi dN w lIp'thff Ef'ii'ldt SUI
iering and misery among its people, the OPP
pressed. as of divine right, should demand
aud seek n remedy.
The king of England was endeavoring TO
deprive the colonisis of their lawful rights.
lie imposed taxes upon them without their
consent. took away their charters aud
abolished their most valuable laws; he
plun'lered their seats, ravaged their coasts,
harmed their towns aud destroyed the lives
his cruel and unjust laws, 10 reduce the
culonirts To- the condition Of slaves. Ii
they had passively submitted To the grasp
ing demands and tyrannical rule OF En-
gland the inestimabe privileges. for which
they had been SO long contending, would
have been lost forever, aud the people of
proud America now the land of the free
and the home of the brave been, if posi-
hlc. in II more wrctchcd condition than the
hou-eless homeless and starving thousands
OF unhappy ireland.
True patriots urged with unlnchins
zeal that the colonies should not submit To
the unjust demands of England. Public
gatherings were held daily and the tyranny
oitieor.e the Third was bitterly denounced.
The first public opposition was made dur
ing he first congress ia 11.G. During the
session, which continued for eight long and
tryin. weeks, declaration of rights was
earnestly discussed aud was finally agreed
upon. They had petitioued for redress in
the most humble terms. Petitions re-
mon.trauces and addresses had been made
TO England, but all in vain. Congress add
journeI aud the members went back to
their several homes with n more intense
hatred than ever for England and her OPP
pressve demands. They had been seorned
aud their laws and right. trampled upon:
and the time had now come when bold
resistance or u humilatins submission was
their only choice.
The cloud of disaifcction hung dark and
threatening over the colonies. The belief
that war WAS inevitable had become gcner-
al. aud in the following spring the first bat
tie in arms was fought.
While the fever of disloyalty was still
raging the SECOND Continental Congress was
held. with the patriot John Hancock az
President The assembly was composed of
some Of the most pal riotir men the world
has ever known. Fully realizing the re-
,ponshilities ri their positions. they exer-
ciscd the utmost carrand prudence in their
earnest deliberations. Step 10y step they
anxiously surveyed the perilous ground on
which they were treading. Every avenue
of retreat was practically closed, and to go
on might lead Ia terrible consequences. A
nations destiny hung in the balance. and
the situation was hourly becoming more
perilous. when Richard Henry Lee, freeing
himself from the slaeklcs of doubt. arose
ou the 9Th day of June to propose "A rcyo-
luton. Every member. believing that the
crisis had been reached. awaited in breat tn
less suspense his decisive words. Dclibcr
atrly aud distinctly, 50 that every word
was plainly heard throughout the hall. he
declared that These united colonies are
and ought to he free aud independent states
and all political connection between aud
the states al Great Britain is, and ought
To he totally dissolved
On the second day Of July the committe
reported "A declaration oi Independence.
and for the next two days the report was
carefully considered. article by article. On
the morning OF the Fourth the prolonged
discussion was closed and the final action
taken. akins the thirteen United Colonies
free and Independent States. The bellnan
had early taken his place in the belfry 50
that lac might exercise the coveted right al
proclaiming the joyful tiding- of liberty
and Independence to the hundreds of anx-
ions listeners below. When the boy shouted
Ring Ring" the Old man. startled by the
joyful news, instantly seized the iron
tongue OF the bell and truly did it clang-
long and loud-the prophetic inscription
which had been engrayen on its iron Up
more than twenty years before: PRO
claim liberty throughout all the land unto
al the inhabitants thereof Peal after
peal the old bell proclaimed the advent of
new nation. aud cheer after cheer re-
sounded from the streets below.
Messengers were hastily sent tn announce
their independence and freedom. When the
news reached Boston-the seat of active
ho-tilities cannon were fired. boniires
lighted aud the heroes Of Lexington and
Bunker Hui were iubilant over the Nations
birth